New faces in Indian team for Asian Badminton C'ship

NEW DELHI: With top shuttlers busy with other international commitments, India has decided to field a young side for the Asian Badminton Championships in Chengdu, China from April 19 to 24. Top players such as Saina Nehwal and P Kashyap will not participatein the event as they will be busy preparing for the Indian Open Super seriestournament from April 26. National champion Chetan Anand has alsoopted out of the event due to injury while Arvind Bhat is busy playingelsewhere. In the absence of these big names, the troika of AjayJayaram, Saurabh Verma and B Sai Praneeth will present India's challenge in themen's singles event. In women's singles Aditi Mutatkar will bespearheading the Indian campaign. In doubles, Commonwealth Gamesgold medallists Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa will be among the favourites. AjayJayaram, Saurabh Verma, B Sai Praneeth. Aditi Mutatkar,Neha Pandit, P C Thulasi, Arundhati Pantwane Akhshay Dwalkar andArun Vishnu, Jishnu Sanyal and Manu Attri, Pranav Chopra and Kona Tarun Jwala Gutta andAshwini Ponnappa, Aparna Balan and Prajakta Sawant, Pradanya Gadre and PJyotsana ArunVishnu and Aparna Balan, Kona Tarun and Ashwini Ponnappa, Pranav Chopra andPrajakta Sawant, Akhshay Dewalkar and Pradanya Gadre.